Unite Jan 2017

January Unite Page 12

Handling Toxic People

Renée Stout American (b. 1958) A Vision I Can't Forget Lithograph, 1999 Museum Acquisition Fund SAM 2009.7

continued from page 11

Renée Stout works in a wide variety of media from photography to printmaking, from collage to painting. But the commonality throughout all of her practice is an interest and desire in self discovery and self empowerment as a way to understand the broader human condition. Her work is narrative-driven and often features alter egos through which a variety of actions take place.

In this self-portrait, Stout places herself amidst a range of symbols and objects that represent Kongolese culture and beliefs. The nkisi figure on the left is said to hold spiritually charged materials while the numeric patterns relate to numerology (the belief that numbers have meaning and power). Stout is also interested in Voodoo, an often misunderstood religious practice; the mask shown here is used in the practice of Voodoo.

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quickly and are assertive in protecting themselves from future harm.

9. They squash negative self-talk.

Sometimes you absorb the negativity of other people. There’s nothing wrong with feeling bad about how someone is treating you, but your self-talk (the thoughts you have about your feelings) can either intensify the negativity or help you move past it. Negative self-talk is unrealistic, unnecessary and self-defeating. It sends you into a downward emotional spiral that is difficult to pull out of.

You should avoid negative selftalk at all costs.

10. They limit their caffeine intake.

Drinking caffeine triggers the release of adrenaline.

Adrenaline is the source of the “fight-or-flight” response, a survival mechanism that forces you to stand up and fight or run for the hills when faced with a threat. The fight-or-flight mechanism sidesteps rational thinking in favor of a faster response. This is great when a bear is chasing you, but not so great when you’re surprised in the hallway by an angry co-worker.

Before you get this system to work brilliantly, you’re going to have to pass some tests.

Implementing these healthy, stress-relieving techniques for dealing with difficult people will train your brain to handle stress more effectively and decrease the likelihood of ill effects.

January 2017 Volume 27/ Number 1 • A Monthly Publication by Unite of Southwest Missouri, Inc •

www.unitenewsonline.org

UNITE.

Celebrate MLK Day, Jan 16th Dr Martin L. King, Jr.

Building Empowering Connections In Our Diverse Community

Annual Springfield MLK March & Celebration Event The Springfield NAACP will hold their annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. March & Celebration Monday, January 16, 2017.

The march will begin at 9:00am at the Mediacom Ice Park and end at the Gillioz Continued on page 2

SGF Multicultural Festival, Jan 16th Unite of Southwest Missouri, presents the 20th Annual Springfield Multicultural Festival. The event will be held January 16, 2017 at Juanita K. Hammons Hall, 525 John Q. Hammons Pkwy., 12:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m.

Continued on page 2

Roland signs book contract with BLI BLI Publishing Company has just released the book R.A.W. Emotions.

Ra-Keish Roland Continued on page 5

Nonprofits and Churches Working Together

by Mark A. Dixon, Guest Contributing Writer

It’s no secret that both nonprofit community organizations and churches are in the business of helping people, but sometimes more can be done by working together than individually. So when the Springfield Community Center approached the Bartley-Decatur Neighborhood Center, Springfield NAACP and Deliverance Temple Ministries with an idea for a mobile food pantry (MFP) that would focus on helping to address unmet food security needs for individuals and families in our community, they all

Ozarks Food Harvest Mobile Food Pantry Truck

jumped at the opportunity.

Working with Ozarks Food Harvest and the generous support of the Musgrave Foundation, these partners invited African American congregations in Springfield to a brunch meeting to discuss the MFP. About a dozen churches sent represen-

tatives (including a number of senior pastors) to the meeting and all of them were excited to participate! In fact, it was exciting for everyone involved to see the legacy of black community support energized by this Continued on page 2

Springfield Schools Partners with Community

by Marty Moore, Guest Contributing Writer

Bartley-Decatur Neighborhood Center, MSU CSD (DepartOur Voice-Our Choice ment of Communication SciencCommunity session es and Disorders), MSU Another phase of CLSU (Department of collective impact work Counseling, Leadership, across our community and Special Education) , kicks off on January NAACP, and Springfield 21, 2017 with the first Public Schools. of monthly Our Voice Each session will - Our Choice Commuoffer breakfast, a comMarty Moore nity sessions. The munity keynote, two sessions begin at 8:00 a.m. sessions for adult attendees, at Deliverance Temple and literacy and STEAM (science, are jointly organized by technology, engineering, arts,

and math) sessions for students (K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12), childcare for pre-K, and a boxed lunch.

Our hope is to bring people together around topics of interest and common purpose and strengthen the relationships among all those supporting students since learning doesn't just happen from 8-3 on school days. We hope that students will see parents, the schools, our churches, and businesses Continued on page 2

January Unite Page 11

January Unite Page 2

MLK March

Festival

Theatre. The program will begin at the Gillioz once the marchers arrive. This year the NAACP is collecting hats, gloves, scarves, and socks for youth in our Springfield community, collection bins will be available at the ice park and the Gillioz Theatre.

Doors will open at the ice park and the Gillioz at 8:00 a.m.

This year's sponsors are Central Bank, Springfield Public Schools, Drury University, First Unitarian Universalist Church, and Matthew 25 Project.

Every year, local performers representing cultures from around the world gather on stage at Juanita K. Hammons Hall along with KY3, news anchor Emily Wood to explore a world of cultural entertainment.

You will see traditional favorites like, the Celtic Fire Irish Dance Company, Springfield Little Theater Youth Group, the MSU Traditional Chinese Dance Club and other performing groups.

In the foyer at the hall, we will have about fifty exhibiting

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Springfield Black History Moment Springfield, MO— It was October 27, 1954 when Etta Moten, famed singer and actress, was refused service in a small diner on the east edge of the campus of what is now Missouri State University. Ms. Moten had come to the campus to speak to the students from her home in Chicago. Her refusal by the Varsity Café to serve her set off a storm of protests and call for a boycott of the café. When interviewed for the local paper the owners were unflinching in their position while the College Inn, a café located on the other side of campus, said they served everyone and had no problems. Much has changed while much has stayed the same in the sixty-two years since this occurred.

— John Sellars, Springfield History Museum

organizations who will be sharing information about education and employment opportunities, healthcare, financial services and other important community resources.

Admission is free and the event is open to everyone.

Working Together continued from page 1

joint program effort.

The churches will identify and sign up recipients, as well as provide volunteers who will help with distribution on the day of the monthly food giveaway.

Because families typically have a tougher time towards the end of the month, the distribution dates will be in the third or fourth week of the month, with the first one scheduled for Thursday, January 26, 2017. The designated location partner will be Deliverance Temple Ministries, 2101 W. Chestnut Expressway.

If you are a member or are otherwise connected to one of the following congregations, you are encouraged to find out more from your pastor or community outreach minister.

Current participating congregations include:

• Acts of Praise Whole Life Ministries, 937 E. Dale; • Deliverance Temple Ministries, 2101 W. Chestnut Expressway; • Faith Tabernacle Apostolic Church, 2548 N. Fremont Avenue; • Gibson Chapel, 536 E. Tampa; • God's House of Glory, 826 S. Golden • New Growth Ministries, 1351 N. Marion Avenue • New Hope International Ministries, 901 N. Prospect Avenue; • Powered by Christ Ministries, 2722 W. Mt. Vernon; • Refuge of God, 518 E. Atlantic Street; • Sanctuary of Praise C.O.G.I.C., 5420 MO-H (North Glenstone); • Turning Point Church, 1722 N. National Ave.

School & Community continued from page 1

working together to support them.

January's session will focus on Making Healthy Choices in 2017. Along with health screenings, participants will explore how the power of small choices in diet, wellness, and exercise can improve their health. Each session includes an activity bag with items that correspond to the monthly theme as well as raffles throughout the day.

For additional information contact Marty Moore at mamoore@spsmail.org

See How CU Can

Work With You Plumbers, caterers, landscapers, exterminators, and more are all needed to help City Utilities of Springfield operate on a day-to-day basis. If you offer a good or a service, CU has opportunities. Call 417-831-8363 or visit cityutilities.net, key search “Purchasing”, to learn about ways for us to work together.

Photo: Photo: Left is Moten in the campus student union.

Provided by

It is the policy of City Utilities to offer equal opportunity to individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, ancestry, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, or marital status.

History Museum On The Square

Open Monday ~ Saturday from 10:30 am to 4:30 pm Adults $5 ~ Children $3 ~ Museum Members Free In our historic Fox Theatre at 157 Park Central Square, Springfield MO

301 East Central, Springfield • 417.863.9000

cityutilities.net

Library Events

Handling Toxic People

Drive-up window hours are 7:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday-Saturday; and noon-5 p.m. on Sunday.

There’s more parking. The Reading Room tables and a cyber bar have built-in power jacks and USB ports for your portable devices. Media lovers now have a dedicated space to browse CDs, DVDs and audiobooks.

The drive-through lane on the building’s east side also includes a built-in book drop that sends your returned materials to an automated sorting system, checks in your materials 24/7 and instantly posts returns to your account.

And don’t forget a hot drink at Coffee Between Friends!

••• On Saturday, Feb. 4, everyone is invited to the Meet and Greet Celebration: Show & Tell Mixer, Connecting Millennial Youth and Family in a Title 1 Community. The event is from 1-2:30 p.m. in the Midtown Carnegie Branch upstairs meeting room.

Moderator Christine Peoples presents 1 Word: Service; 4 Speakers & You. Theater director Jon Herbert, motivational speaker Rod Smith, school bus driver Mandie Williams and Regional Business Service representative Cynthia Collins will share their perspective on the word “Service” before everyone joins the conversation. Refreshments will be served.

The celebration continues on Saturday, February 18, from 1-2:30 p.m. in the upstairs meeting room with the documentary “Can You Dig This,” for adults.

Call: (417) 862-0135.

trying to beat them at their own game. Distance yourself from them emotionally and approach your interactions like they’re a science project (or you’re their shrink, if you prefer the analogy). You don’t need to respond to the emotional chaos—only the facts.

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4. They stay aware of their emotions.

Maintaining an emotional distance requires awareness. You can’t stop someone from pushing your buttons if you don’t recognize when it’s happening.

Sometimes you’ll find yourself in situations where you’ll need to regroup and choose the best way forward. This is fine and you shouldn’t be afraid to buy yourself some time to do so.

Think of it this way: If a mentally unstable person approaches you on the street and tells you he’s John F. Kennedy, you’re unlikely to set him straight.

When you find yourself with a co-worker who is engaged in similarly derailed thinking, sometimes it’s best to just smile and nod. If you’re going to have to straighten them out, it’s better to give yourself some time to plan the best way to go about it.

5. They establish boundaries.

This is the area where most people tend to sell themselves short. They feel like because they work or live with someone, they have no way to control the chaos. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Once you’ve found your way to rise above a person, you’ll begin to find their behavior more predictable and easier to understand. This will equip you to think rationally about when and where you have

to put up with them and when you don’t. For example, even if you work with someone closely on a project team, that doesn’t mean that you need to have the same level of one-on-one interaction with them that you have with other team members.

You can establish a boundary, but you’ll have to do so consciously and proactively. If you let things happen naturally, you are bound to find yourself constantly embroiled in difficult conversations.

6. They won’t let anyone limit their joy.

When your sense of pleasure and satisfaction are derived from the opinions of other people, you are no longer the master of your own happiness. When emotionally intelligent people feel good about something that they’ve done, they won’t let anyone’s opinions or snide remarks take that away from them.

While it’s impossible to turn off your reactions to what others think of you, you don’t have to compare yourself to others, and you can always take people’s opinions with a grain of salt.

7. They don't focus on problems— only solutions.

Where you focus your attention determines your emotional state.

When you fixate on the problems you’re facing, you create and prolong negative emotions and stress. When you focus on actions to better yourself and your circumstances, you create a sense of personal efficacy that produces positive emotions and reduces stress.

When it comes to toxic people, fixating on how crazy and difficult they are gives them power over you. Quit thinking about how troubling your difficult person is, and focus instead

on how you're going to go about handling them. This makes you more effective by putting you in control, and it will reduce the amount of stress you experience when interacting with them.

8. They don’t forget.

Emotionally intelligent people are quick to forgive, but that doesn’t mean that they forget.

Forgiveness requires letting go of what’s happened so that you can move on. It doesn’t mean you’ll give a wrongdoer another chance. Successful people are unwilling to be bogged down unnecessarily by others’ mistakes, so they let them go continued on page 12

Affordable Housing Opportunities There are currently housing vacancies in the City of Springfield’s program for rental or home ownership. These programs include requirements for fair marketing and non-discrimination.

You must be income eligible to qualify.

For rental, call Marti Fewell, 417-864-1039 For home ownership, call LeeAnn Camey, 417-888-2020

January Unite Page 10

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IN THIS ISSUE

Health & Mental Fitness 10 Ways Successful People Handle Toxic People The important thing to remember is that you are in control of far more than you realize.

by Travis Bradberry Success Magazine 04/07/16 Toxic people have always been a drag, but research shows they can physically harm your brain. In this article, originally published on LinkedIn Pulse, Dr. Travis Bradberry shows you how to keep your gray matter safe.

Toxic people defy logic.

Some are blissfully unaware of the negative impact that they have on those around them, and others seem to derive satisfaction from creating chaos and pushing other people’s buttons.

Either way, they create unnecessary complexity, strife and, worst of all, stress.

Studies have long shown that stress can have a lasting, negative impact on the brain.

Exposure to even a few days of stress compromises the effectiveness of neurons in the hippocampus—an important brain area responsible for reasoning and memory. Weeks of stress cause reversible damage to neuronal dendrites (the small “arms” that brain cells use to communicate with each other), and months of stress can permanently destroy neurons. Stress is a formidable threat to your success—when stress gets out of control, your brain and your performance suffer.

Most sources of stress at work are easy to identify. If your nonprofit is working to land a grant that your organization

needs to function, you’re bound to feel stress and likely know how to manage it. It's the unexpected sources of stress that take you by surprise and harm you the most.

Recent research from the Department of Biological and Clinical Psychology at Friedrich Schiller University in Germany found that exposure to stimuli that cause strong negative emotions—the same kind of exposure you get when dealing with toxic people—caused subjects’ brains to have a massive stress response. Whether it's negativity, cruelty, the victim syndrome or just plain craziness, toxic people drive your brain into a stressed-out state that should be avoided at all costs.

The ability to manage your emotions and remain calm under pressure has a direct link to your performance.

TalentSmart has conducted research with more than a million people, and we’ve found that 90 percent of top performers are skilled at managing their emotions in times of stress in order to remain calm and in control. One of their greatest gifts is the ability to neutralize toxic people. Top performers have well-honed coping strategies that they employ to keep toxic people at bay.

While I’ve run across numerous effective strategies that successful people employ when dealing with toxic people, what follows are 10 of the best. To

Community News

Brentwood Library Is Renamed, Schweitzer Brentwood Branch Library

by Kathleen O’Dell, Springfield-Greene County Library District

deal with toxic people effectively, you need an approach that enables you, across the board, to control what you can and eliminate what you can’t. The important thing to remember is that you are in control of far more than you realize.

1. They set limits (especially with complainers).

Complainers and negative people are bad news because they wallow in their problems and fail to focus on solutions. They want people to join their pity party so that they can feel better about themselves. People often feel pressure to listen to complainers because they don’t want to be seen as callous or rude, but there’s a fine line between lending a sympathetic ear and getting sucked into their negative emotional spiral.

You can avoid this only by setting limits and distancing yourself when necessary. Think of it this way: If the complainer were smoking, would you sit there all afternoon inhaling the secondhand smoke? You’d distance yourself, and you should do the same with complainers. A great way to set limits is to ask

complainers how they intend to fix the problem. They will either quiet down or redirect the conversation in a productive direction.

2. They don’t die in the fight.

Successful people know how important it is to live to fight another day, especially when your foe is a toxic individual.

In conflict, unchecked emotion makes you dig your heels in and fight the kind of battle that can leave you severely damaged.

When you read and respond to your emotions, you’re able to choose your battles wisely and only stand your ground when the time is right.

3. They rise above.

Toxic people drive you crazy because their behavior is so irrational. Make no mistake about it—their behavior truly goes against reason. So why do you allow yourself to respond to them emotionally and get sucked into the mix?

The more irrational and offbase someone is, the easier it should be for you to remove yourself from their traps. Quit continued on page 11

The renovated and renamed Schweitzer Brentwood Branch Library reopens Saturday, Jan. 7.

Few have been Kathleen O'Dell inside the branch since it closed for a $2.5 million overhaul in April 2016, and the change is remarkable.

Where there once were low ceilings, a cantankerous boiler, a cramped children’s area and slender reading room there is now a bright, open-beam ceiling, an efficient and reliable HVAC system, a larger children’s area and a 1,500-square-foot reading room flooded with natural light.

The branch is also open seven days a week now after adding Sunday hours from 1-5 p.m. Other hours are 8:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 8:30-6 p.m.

Friday-Saturday. Visitors also now have a convenient drive-up service window. continued on page 11

4

Preparing to go Back-To-School after the Winter Break

by Gwen Marshall

6

Business News

8

Lifestyle & Entertainment News

10

Black Female Entrepreneurs Shine on ABC’s ‘Shark Tank’ Movie Review “Fences & Hidden Figures”

by Lyle Foster

UNITE. Volume 27, Number 1 PUBLISHER Unite. of Southwest Missouri, Inc. MANAGING EDITOR Samuel G. Knox CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Lyle Foster Bon Tindle Gwen Marshall Kathleen O'Dell Celine Roberts PHOTOGRAPHY Tondaleigha Jones

Health & Mental Fitness

10 Ways Successful People Handle Toxic People

by Travis Bradberry

GORMAN-SCHARPF FUNERAL HOME, INC

The Quality And Care That You Expect In 242 Years Of Combined Experience W. Bruce Howell Robert J. Lohmeyer Don R. Lohmeyer Heather K. Howell Angela N. Collins Harley R. Williams 886-9996 Clint W. Mease Russ Allen

(417) 886-9994 • Fax: (417) 1947 E. Seminole Springfield, Missouri 65804

City Employment Link The City of Springfield offers a variety of municipal career opportunities for individuals interested in public service.

Job opportunities are updated each Friday and can be accessed through a number of mediums: Web: http://www.springfieldmo.gov/jobs; or TV: CityView on Mediacom Cable Digital Channel 80; or In Person: visiting our offices at 840 Boonville, Room 324, Springfield, MO 65802.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with disability. Individuals with disabilities should request reasonable accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act prior to testing or appointment. Proof of United States Citizenship/Authorization to Work in The United States as established by the Immigration Reform Act of 1986 is a condition of employment. Pre-employment drug testing required.

VOLUNTEERS Tyra Knox

The Unite. publication is a monthly newspaper published by Unite of Southwest Missouri, Inc. a 501(c)(3) non-profit community organization.

Distribution of Unite. is by free circulation at various locations.

However, request for home delivery by mail may be directed to Unite.

P. O. Box 1745, Springfield, Missouri 65801 and accompanied by $25. for one year’s postage and handling.

Those wishing to make a contribution or become a monthly sponsor should direct correspondence to the same address.

Readers comments and questions are welcomed. The opinions expressed in these pages do not necessarily reflect the views of Unite. of Southwest Missouri, Inc. “The Unite Publication in accepting advertising in this publication, makes no independent investigation concerning the services of products advertised and neither endorses nor recommends the same and assumes no liability therefore.”

For further information, you can contact us at (417) 864-7444.

Email: unitepublication@yahoo. com

January Unite Page 9

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CommunityNews

Movie Column

continued from page 8

Preparing to go Back-To-School after the Winter Break mode and might be just the thing you need. These skills will help cure the “pack your backpack, back to school, post-holFor Springfield Public School iday blues” and make the rest students, January means returnof their school year a ing to school after breeze. winter break. Your Unplug and Get those ZZZs student may be excited It’s easy for kids to to get back to school, get in the habit of staycatch up with all their ing up late. This habits friends and start new can make the first week classes Or it could fill back to school challengthem with anxiety and Gwen Marshall ing, even for the most gloom. You may even motivated student. Before understand their feelings, sending your student back to especially if school wasn’t a posschool cut back on television itive experience for you. and device time and get back to Dawn Christiana, a veteran a reasonable bedtime. elementary teacher, provides Remember Breakfast some helpful advice for getting Healthy, filling breakfasts your student back into study

by Gwen Marshall SPS Office of Equity & Access

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are one of the most important factors in a child’s ability to focus in class. If they arrive at school hungry, they will likely be sluggish and distracted. Try to encourage nutritional breakfast choices. If your student’s breakfast consists of sugary cereal or doughnuts they may experience an energy decline an hour into the day. A nutritious breakfast can be simple and filling, such as oatmeal or toast with peanut butter.

Get Organized Take inventory of your child’s school supplies. Does he need refills on paper or pencils? Is their binder exploding with old papers or the backpack full of junk? Be sure to make sure that your child returns to school with pencils sharpened and notebook organized. Their teacher will thank you!

Read…

Not just with your child but get back into the habit of scanning the notes that come home from school. Take the time each day to check for letters, flyer, permission slips or conference schedules.

Check In You may have had a parent-teacher conference just before the holiday season. If not, take a moment this month to check in with the teacher about your child’s progress, especially if you have concerns. It is still early enough in the year to work on your student's behavior or skills that are keeping them from achieving their full potential. If you are confident, your child is doing well a quick email to check with the teacher to see if there is anything you need

to know or can do at home that will help keep the lines of communication open.

Back to Homework Just like at the start of the year, your child will have to get back into the habit of regular homework. So will you. Decide if what you were doing in the fall was the best schedule for fitting in homework, and reconfigure it if necessary. The more often you can make yourself available to help your child, the better.

Between winter and spring break teachers expect students to make a great deal of progress in learning: which means that each student needs to be ready to get back into their routine quickly and work harder than they did before break. So, on your Mark, Get Set Ready, GO into a product New Year!

Magazine, San Diego Family.

"Prepare Your Child to Go Backto-school After Winter Break."

N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2016.

January is also a time for families to pause and reflect on the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Springfield Public Schools would like to encourage parents and students to spend the day in service to others. We are looking forward to seeing you at the Martin Luther King Jr. March and Celebration on January 16, 2017. Student contest winners of the elementary and high school art contest and the middle school Martin Luther King, Jr. Essay Contest will receive awards for their outstanding work at the Gilloiz Theater following the MLK Parade. After the rally the continued on page 5

significance for me since the setting for the film is Langley Air Force base which is just a few miles from where I grew up.

The time is right before the famous Mercury-Atlas 6 mission in 1962 and is about a math genius named Katherine Johnson who had an important role in calculating flight trajectories for NASA. The other two women profiled in the film also had significant roles one being the first black female engineer and the other leading black women in Universal Pictures 2016 the West Area computers division. The women are played by some easily recognizable women in the person of Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monae.

Their acting ability can bring any story to life and the reality that it really happened simply makes it even more powerful.

The film doesn’t hide from the racial and gender climate of the day and with the lead characters being black and female in a male dominated space race and engineering field one can imagine the day to day challenges that they face. The film gives us a good idea of a few of the things that they faced and the

Restaurant Column continued from page 8

much too early to find out but I have been told by very reliable sources that the margaritas are nice and well worth a try!

small victories they achieved. In some ways each story of victory over discrimination is important but there is a tinge of resentment too as we know too well that 1962 still meets 2017. The chemistry and support between the ladies and the way they encourage each other works very well and in many ways is the glue that holds the film together.

Kevin Costner plays the role of supervisor and as usual plays his part in an inspiring manner.

The film is in limited release on Christmas day and gets to all of the nation right after the new year. I am hoping that seeing these sisters work their magic in mathematics will inspire some young men and women to become engineers and scientists and wildly succeed in technology as well.

The real message of the film might be one for our society still and that is when you are trying to get a man in space you don’t have time and room for prejudice to get in your way.

Hopefully we will learn that about everything else in life as well.

Please try to support these incredible films and let me know what you think!

Fences…..93 out of 100 Hidden Figures 92 out of 100

And consistent with the cuisine there is an abundance of tequila as well so if that is your drink or that is what you want to try in the new year you are now informed. Oh and if you just want to sound like you are get-

ting your drink on they have a margarita iced tea ….shhhhh… it’s non-alcoholic. And yes regular and sweet tea Okay let’s get to the food they do have very clear information for anyone who needs to eat gluten free which is appreciated. Chips and salsa which are excellent by the way are complimentary when you order an entre. I am not a big queso fan but they have several versions of it including a mac and cheese, green chile and plain.

The guacamole (which I am becoming a fan of) is fresh and delicious. The taco choices are abundant and they are good….. whether you want chicken, beef or some type of fish. There is a vegetarian option as well. I like the fish taco and it was stuffed full and very tasty. Of course they do have the soft and hard shell options. Fish choices are also good with tilapia and ahi tuna. You may want to try the

pineapple pico Spanish fried rice…delicious. How’s that for a mouthful? There is a lot on the menu and it will take a few visits to adequately sample and enjoy.

My lunch mate thoroughly enjoyed his food and he is a lot more adventurous than me and gave everything two thumbs up.

Great American Taco makes a great spot for lunch or dinner and also offers a convenient drive-through if you need to grab and go. It can also be a good date night spot and prices can go up close to $10 for some of the menu items but if Santa came to visit you it should not break the bank. And that is one of the other reasons that I am reviewing this spot because if the holidays cleared out your finances it is an affordable option.

It is located at 2915 E. Battlefield Road and is open Sunday through Thursday from 11 to 9 and until 10 on Friday and Saturday. Four forks!!!

January Unite Page 5

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Arts&Entertainment News

Poetry Book - R.A.W. Emotions by Ra-Keish Roland

Movie Review: “Fences & Hidden Figures” directed and starred in the film adaptation. This is not a movie if you just want to see a big action adventure or a romantic Well the new year is starting comedy. Many of you are familoff with a great gift for movie iar with the story line of Fences fans and for those who just want or maybe have seen the play. It to see a film every now and is tense and difficult and will then these are two films to see. leave your emotions So if this is a sign of raw. I am still trying what the new year will to decide how I like be like the movies we this aspect of the play care about then this is a on film because with good sign. Perhaps one the effects of cinemaof the nicest aspects of tography you feel like these movies is the cast you can’t escape the themselves because pain and volatile plot they contain no less Lyle Foster of Fences. It shows than what we have to the ugly underside describe as movie royalty. of life and has just enough of Fences in the acclaimed the bad of life that it tears your story by August Wilson that has humanity. Combine this with been an acclaimed and celebratthe acting chops of Denzel ed play which was on Broadway and academy award “How to with no less than the man himGet away with Murder” Viola self Denzel Washington. It was Davis and you have a recipe just a matter of time before the for perfection. This dynamic play made its way to the big duo makes for a phenomenal screen and Denzel became the combination but the story line man to do that as well as he has

By Lyle Foster Unite Contributing Writer

is just fairly explosive. There are those who are encouraging folks and families to talk about the plot of the movie afterwards.

I am not really gonna comment because it takes something out of it …..because it may remind you of the family dynamics that you grew up with which means something that only you can figure out. For the African-American community there is so much that this film opens up beyond the family father son dynamics to the plight of our community as Universal Pictures 2016 well.

Just a note that the film is very consistent with the play in that the majority of it takes place in the home and backyard.

I sometimes like a bit more

scenery but this is the way the story was told and Lord knows Denzel and Viola tell it. Also in the cast are Russell Hornsby, Mykelti Williamson, Stephen Henderson and Jovan Adepo.

The other film, Hidden Figures is based on a true story of African American women who were involved in the race to space movement. I’m sure many of us didn’t know that there were any folks of color involved in getting man to the moon. Wonder why? This is one of the top reasons that films like this are good for all of us because we become informed of information that was not widely disseminated. It has special continued on page 9

Restaurant Review: The Great American Taco

By Lyle Foster Unite Contributing Writer

The Great American Taco (formerly Springfield Gourmet Taco Company) Most of you know that I am not the biggest Mexican cuisine fan but as I said in this column a few years ago we have to stretch and continually take it to another level.

Plus all of us have overeaten with all of the holiday fixings and we probably now need to

take a break from the heavy and the well seasoned. I was in the deep South for Christmas and all I can say is they take it to a whole nother level so like many of you I need to recuperate now!

So I thought it might be nice to encourage some of you to try or remind those who have been before about a popular eatery on East Battlefield Road the Great American Taco company.

The name was changed when they added another location in Arkansas last year.

The atmosphere is definitely a cool vibe that is friendly and somewhat upscale for a taco place. Service is consistent and staff are generally very friendly and present a sense that we want to help you and hope you have a great experience.

The menu is very extensive and sometimes for me that can be one of the confusing things about a place that offers so many tacos because you may just want more of a basic and there are so many choices and

modifications. But that is exactly one of the reasons that tacos have become so popular and such a mainstay of our cuisine and as we know they can go from very low prices off of a food truck to something a lot more elaborate.

Before we get to the food offerings let me mention the drinks as the bar is very popular there and it is the new year so celebrations are continuing.

I was there for lunch so it was continued on page 9

Springfield, MO—BLI Publishkept doing the same things hoping Company has just released ing for new results. I was lost in the book R.A.W. Emotions, by a world that I was not prepared Springfield resident, Ra-Keish to live in.”

Roland. Ra-Keish N “Poetry is what kept Roland is a native of coming to me, and Kansas City, Kansas one day I started who currently lives in to write what I was Springfield, MO and feeling. The words is studying accountwouldn’t stop forming ing at the University in my mind. I would of Phoenix. find myself dropping Roland says, “For everything I was almost 15 years I ran doing just to write,” Ra-Keish Roland from God, and so many Roland remarks. bad things happened to me. I Roland says her mission is was homeless, on drugs and to help people know that there headed for self-destruction. I is always another option in life

when you allow God to take the lead. “My choice to change my attitude, and the people I associated with was the best decision I ever made. I have been saved, and redeemed to walk in liberty because of Christ. I am sharing my testimony through poetry, and I hope at least one person if not every person can find a word or phrase that will encourage or help them make it through on the road of life,” said Roland.

For booking information, contact Stacey VanLoozen at 417-753-9094 or email at rawemotions78@gmail.com. R.A.W. Emotions is available for sale at

all major retails where books are sold.

Change of service start times at Faith Tabernacle Apostolic Church in 2017 Springfield, MO—There will be exciting changes in 2017 coming to Faith Tabernacle Apostolic Church, 2548 N. Fremont Ave, where the Bishop Jones Foote, is senior pastor.

Beginning February 5th, Sunday services in 2017 will move to the following start

Winter Break

times: • All Christian education classes will begin at 9:00 a.m.

• Morning worship services will begin at 10:00 a.m.

We invite everyone to come and join us at FTAC where everybody is somebody and Jesus is Lord of all.

continued from page 4

noon of educational fun, and entertainment.

Office of Equity and Access will meet you at the Multicultural Festival at Juanita Hammons from 12:00-4:00 pm for an after-

Dates to Remember: First Day Back to School After Winter Break — January 4, 2017

Come lend your voice to our University!

Good News, Great Music & Warm People Deliverance Temple Ministries 2101 W. Chestnut Expwy.

Springfield, MO 65802 (417) 865-4338

Service Times: Sunday 10:30 a.m. & Wednesday 6:00 p.m.

Missouri State University is recruiting diverse faculty and staff for a variety of positions. We are committed to inclusive excellence across campus, and we have a unique public affairs mission that encourages cultural competency, community engagement and ethical leadership.

We believe diversity is good for our students, our community and our University. Our most important job is to give students an enriching education, complete with the tools for career success. Our faculty and staff must be racially, ethnically, culturally and socioeconomically diverse to help our students understand and appreciate different viewpoints, preparing them to lead the future.

We act on our beliefs. Let us welcome you to our campus. Come see for yourself!

Search our vacancies to learn how you can join us.

www.missouristate.edu/careers Employment will require a criminal background check at University expense Missouri State University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Minority/Female/Veterans/Disability employer and institution.

January Unite Page 7

January Unite Page 6

A Directory of free or low cost Business Assistance Minorities In Business Monthly Networking Meeting January 3, 2017 Q Enoteca, 308 W Commercial St Bring a friend or business partner!

Everyone is invited! Light Refreshments and Cash Bar Available 417.837-2631 Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce www.spfldchamber.com 417.862.5567 Small Business Administration (SBA) www.sba.gov 417.890.8501 Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) www.score.org 417.837.2619 Drury University - Breech Center / Student in Free Enterprise www.drury.edu 417.873.7243 The Library Center Business Reference thelibrary.springfield.missouri.org 417.874.8110 Small Business & Technology Development Center sbtdc.missouristate.edu 417.836.5685

The BusinessSection Black Female Entrepreneurs Shine on ABC’s ‘Shark Tank’

by Brandon Andrews Black Enterprise Magazine Two teams of black female entrepreneurs are featured on ABC’s Emmy-winning show Shark Tank.

Memphis-based Angels and Tomboys® secured a deal with Sharks, Daymond John and Mark Cuban. Later this month, Philadelphia-based LuLu Bang will pitch their business to the Sharks.

Angels and Tomboys Co-founded by two kid-trepreneur sisters, nine-year-old Mallory (the tomboy) and 11-year-old Madison (the angel), Angels and Tomboys® is a beauty and body care company for “tween and teen girls.” The current line employs a paraben free, patent pending, and vegan friendly formula. Scents include Candy Star Glam™, Frozen Hot Chocolate™, and Lemonade Doughnuts™.

On episode four of Season 8, Mallory, Madison, and their mom Viera pitched Angels and Tomboys to The Sharks. The initial ask was $55K for 20% of the company, marketed toward girls ages five to 12.

After sharing their story and motto, “All girls are created equally different,” with $58,000 in revenue to date, Mark Cuban and Daymond John invested $60,000 for 33% of the company.

LuLu Bang On October 28, Ashley, Kelly, and Jorrae Beard will pitch LuLu Bang to the Sharks. The Beard family has run Joyce’s Soulful Cuisine, a family owned and operated catering service and food manufacturing company,

Mallory, Madison, and their mom Viera pitched Angels and Tomboys to The Sharks

for several years.

Over the years, the family has developed a line of special sauces to serve while catering events. In response to the popular demand, the family began manufacturing and bottling the sauces. The sauce line is named after Michael Anthony “Lulu Bang” Beard, and the recipes are inspired by family matriarch, Joyce Beard.

The LuLu Bang line of flavors includes Barbecue Sauce, Asian Persuasion, It’s Just Hot, and Bourbon Marinade. They are available online and at over 250 Walmart locations, nationwide.

Black Female Entrepreneurs The National Women’s Business Council (NWBC) released a new report prepared by Walker’s Legacy, Black Women Entrepreneurs: Past and Present Conditions of Black Women’s Business Ownership. The report provides a snapshot of of African American women in business.

There are over 1.5 million black female entrepreneurs in America, comprising nearly 60% of all

black entrepreneurs.

Black women are most the entrepreneurial segment of the U.S. population. An American Express Open report found that the number of businesses owned

by African American women has grown 322% since 1997. During this same time period, the rate of entrepreneurship in America has also continued to steadily decline since the late 1970s.

As the growth, acquisition, and/or closure of older and larger businesses leads to consolidation, new businesses must be started, to ensure that capital continues to flow freely throughout the U.S. economy.

When a new business is formed, it frees the capital to purchase goods and services, pay employee salaries, and make business expenditures. Black women are a catalyst for the dynamic economic impact entrepreneurship brings to U.S. and global economy.

Supporting Black Female Founders continued on page 7

Shark Tank

continued from page 6 The full potential of black female founders has yet to realized. Black women are, perhaps, the fastest growing group of entrepreneurs in America.

The U.S. economy is continuing the long recovery from the Great Recession. The founding and growth of new businesses is critical to recovery. However, despite this need, access to capital and business resources remains a problem for black female founders.

According to the Walker’s Legacy Report and the latest Survey of Business Owners (SBO), the average receipts of a black women-owned businesses are $69,101. Comparatively,

average receipts for all minority-owned firms are $173,552, and average receipts for white-owned businesses are $552,079.

Black women have always done what they needed to do to support themselves, their families, and their communities. The need to survive and thrive has often led to entrepreneurship.

We now have data to support this incredible legacy. The businesses are there; the resources should be, too.

Values Partnerships organizes a nationwide casting tour for ABC’s Shark Tank. We provide pitch prep, access to capital discussions, and businesses resources, from the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) and other organizations, to entrepreneurs at our casting calls, but more is needed.

Ashley, Kelly, and Jorrae Beard will pitch LuLu Bang to the Sharks

How Black Enterprise Magazine Compiled the ‘50 Best Companies for Diversity’

by Kali Wilder Black Enterprise Magazine Studies show that diverse environments work. A diverse environment not only increases overall business performance,

but also provides a space where employee differences, while highlighted, are used to foster innovation and true inclusiveness. Researchers have started to drill down to deeper definitions of diversity—race, gender,

sexual orientation, and so forth.

They are trying to find better ways for companies to create conditions in which potentially marginalized groups can succeed.

Engagement Matters A Gallup poll earlier this year found engagement and inclusiveness to be closely linked.

According to the poll, employee retention was the highest when managers and employees of different races worked in an engaging workplace, even higher than managers and employees of the same race, in stimulating, collegial work environments.

Black Enterprise’s editorial research team, in partnership with the Executive Leadership Council, sent surveys to the nation’s top 1,000 publicly traded companies to get an in-depth look at the ethnic and gender composition of these corporations, as well as understand various programs designed to foster and maintain an inclusive working environment. The annual survey is centered around efforts focused on African Americans, but also includes other ethnic minority groups as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. Any information provided by companies on diversity efforts targeted toward women, LGBT, the disabled, and veterans were used as secondary, supporting data for inclusion on the list.

BE performed a quantitative and editorial assessment of all corporate respondents and measured each company’s diversity efforts using the following criteria: • We measured companies against each other using data from four key categories: employee base, senior management, board of directors, and procurement. Based on a quanti-

tative and editorial analysis, each company received a score. The senior management and board of directors categories were given a higher weighting, based on company impact across the board. Procurement was also a major factor, while employee base was given a lower weighting.

• We reviewed the status of companies across all BE diversity and corporate leadership lists, including The Top 35 Companies for Supplier Diversity, The 100 Most Powerful Executives, Top Diversity Executives, as well as companies that have chief diversity officers and/ or designated diversity departments.

• We also considered those companies in which the CEO takes an active role in diversity practices.

Our survey measures companies against four key categories: • Employee Base: The percentage of African Americans and members of other ethnic minority groups represented in a given company’s workforce.

• Senior Management: The percentage of senior management positions held by African Americans and members of other ethnic groups.

• Board of Directors: The percentage of African Americans and other ethnic minorities represented on corporate boards.

• Procurement: The percentage of total procurement dollars spent with companies owned by African Americans and members of other ethnic minority groups.

1. Aflac, 2. Allstate, 3. Ameren Corp., 4. American Express Co., 5. Aramark, ...

To view entire list, go to: http://www.blackenterprise. com/lists/2016-best-companies-diversity/

January Unite Page 7

January Unite Page 6

A Directory of free or low cost Business Assistance Minorities In Business Monthly Networking Meeting January 3, 2017 Q Enoteca, 308 W Commercial St Bring a friend or business partner!

Everyone is invited! Light Refreshments and Cash Bar Available 417.837-2631 Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce www.spfldchamber.com 417.862.5567 Small Business Administration (SBA) www.sba.gov 417.890.8501 Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) www.score.org 417.837.2619 Drury University - Breech Center / Student in Free Enterprise www.drury.edu 417.873.7243 The Library Center Business Reference thelibrary.springfield.missouri.org 417.874.8110 Small Business & Technology Development Center sbtdc.missouristate.edu 417.836.5685

The BusinessSection Black Female Entrepreneurs Shine on ABC’s ‘Shark Tank’

by Brandon Andrews Black Enterprise Magazine Two teams of black female entrepreneurs are featured on ABC’s Emmy-winning show Shark Tank.

Memphis-based Angels and Tomboys® secured a deal with Sharks, Daymond John and Mark Cuban. Later this month, Philadelphia-based LuLu Bang will pitch their business to the Sharks.

Angels and Tomboys Co-founded by two kid-trepreneur sisters, nine-year-old Mallory (the tomboy) and 11-year-old Madison (the angel), Angels and Tomboys® is a beauty and body care company for “tween and teen girls.” The current line employs a paraben free, patent pending, and vegan friendly formula. Scents include Candy Star Glam™, Frozen Hot Chocolate™, and Lemonade Doughnuts™.

On episode four of Season 8, Mallory, Madison, and their mom Viera pitched Angels and Tomboys to The Sharks. The initial ask was $55K for 20% of the company, marketed toward girls ages five to 12.

After sharing their story and motto, “All girls are created equally different,” with $58,000 in revenue to date, Mark Cuban and Daymond John invested $60,000 for 33% of the company.

LuLu Bang On October 28, Ashley, Kelly, and Jorrae Beard will pitch LuLu Bang to the Sharks. The Beard family has run Joyce’s Soulful Cuisine, a family owned and operated catering service and food manufacturing company,

Mallory, Madison, and their mom Viera pitched Angels and Tomboys to The Sharks

for several years.

Over the years, the family has developed a line of special sauces to serve while catering events. In response to the popular demand, the family began manufacturing and bottling the sauces. The sauce line is named after Michael Anthony “Lulu Bang” Beard, and the recipes are inspired by family matriarch, Joyce Beard.

The LuLu Bang line of flavors includes Barbecue Sauce, Asian Persuasion, It’s Just Hot, and Bourbon Marinade. They are available online and at over 250 Walmart locations, nationwide.

Black Female Entrepreneurs The National Women’s Business Council (NWBC) released a new report prepared by Walker’s Legacy, Black Women Entrepreneurs: Past and Present Conditions of Black Women’s Business Ownership. The report provides a snapshot of of African American women in business.

There are over 1.5 million black female entrepreneurs in America, comprising nearly 60% of all

black entrepreneurs.

Black women are most the entrepreneurial segment of the U.S. population. An American Express Open report found that the number of businesses owned

by African American women has grown 322% since 1997. During this same time period, the rate of entrepreneurship in America has also continued to steadily decline since the late 1970s.

As the growth, acquisition, and/or closure of older and larger businesses leads to consolidation, new businesses must be started, to ensure that capital continues to flow freely throughout the U.S. economy.

When a new business is formed, it frees the capital to purchase goods and services, pay employee salaries, and make business expenditures. Black women are a catalyst for the dynamic economic impact entrepreneurship brings to U.S. and global economy.

Supporting Black Female Founders continued on page 7

Shark Tank

continued from page 6 The full potential of black female founders has yet to realized. Black women are, perhaps, the fastest growing group of entrepreneurs in America.

The U.S. economy is continuing the long recovery from the Great Recession. The founding and growth of new businesses is critical to recovery. However, despite this need, access to capital and business resources remains a problem for black female founders.

According to the Walker’s Legacy Report and the latest Survey of Business Owners (SBO), the average receipts of a black women-owned businesses are $69,101. Comparatively,

average receipts for all minority-owned firms are $173,552, and average receipts for white-owned businesses are $552,079.

Black women have always done what they needed to do to support themselves, their families, and their communities. The need to survive and thrive has often led to entrepreneurship.

We now have data to support this incredible legacy. The businesses are there; the resources should be, too.

Values Partnerships organizes a nationwide casting tour for ABC’s Shark Tank. We provide pitch prep, access to capital discussions, and businesses resources, from the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) and other organizations, to entrepreneurs at our casting calls, but more is needed.

Ashley, Kelly, and Jorrae Beard will pitch LuLu Bang to the Sharks

How Black Enterprise Magazine Compiled the ‘50 Best Companies for Diversity’

by Kali Wilder Black Enterprise Magazine Studies show that diverse environments work. A diverse environment not only increases overall business performance,

but also provides a space where employee differences, while highlighted, are used to foster innovation and true inclusiveness. Researchers have started to drill down to deeper definitions of diversity—race, gender,

sexual orientation, and so forth.

They are trying to find better ways for companies to create conditions in which potentially marginalized groups can succeed.

Engagement Matters A Gallup poll earlier this year found engagement and inclusiveness to be closely linked.

According to the poll, employee retention was the highest when managers and employees of different races worked in an engaging workplace, even higher than managers and employees of the same race, in stimulating, collegial work environments.

Black Enterprise’s editorial research team, in partnership with the Executive Leadership Council, sent surveys to the nation’s top 1,000 publicly traded companies to get an in-depth look at the ethnic and gender composition of these corporations, as well as understand various programs designed to foster and maintain an inclusive working environment. The annual survey is centered around efforts focused on African Americans, but also includes other ethnic minority groups as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. Any information provided by companies on diversity efforts targeted toward women, LGBT, the disabled, and veterans were used as secondary, supporting data for inclusion on the list.

BE performed a quantitative and editorial assessment of all corporate respondents and measured each company’s diversity efforts using the following criteria: • We measured companies against each other using data from four key categories: employee base, senior management, board of directors, and procurement. Based on a quanti-

tative and editorial analysis, each company received a score. The senior management and board of directors categories were given a higher weighting, based on company impact across the board. Procurement was also a major factor, while employee base was given a lower weighting.

• We reviewed the status of companies across all BE diversity and corporate leadership lists, including The Top 35 Companies for Supplier Diversity, The 100 Most Powerful Executives, Top Diversity Executives, as well as companies that have chief diversity officers and/ or designated diversity departments.

• We also considered those companies in which the CEO takes an active role in diversity practices.

Our survey measures companies against four key categories: • Employee Base: The percentage of African Americans and members of other ethnic minority groups represented in a given company’s workforce.

• Senior Management: The percentage of senior management positions held by African Americans and members of other ethnic groups.

• Board of Directors: The percentage of African Americans and other ethnic minorities represented on corporate boards.

• Procurement: The percentage of total procurement dollars spent with companies owned by African Americans and members of other ethnic minority groups.

1. Aflac, 2. Allstate, 3. Ameren Corp., 4. American Express Co., 5. Aramark, ...

To view entire list, go to: http://www.blackenterprise. com/lists/2016-best-companies-diversity/

January Unite Page 5

January Unite Page 8

Arts&Entertainment News

Poetry Book - R.A.W. Emotions by Ra-Keish Roland

Movie Review: “Fences & Hidden Figures” directed and starred in the film adaptation. This is not a movie if you just want to see a big action adventure or a romantic Well the new year is starting comedy. Many of you are familoff with a great gift for movie iar with the story line of Fences fans and for those who just want or maybe have seen the play. It to see a film every now and is tense and difficult and will then these are two films to see. leave your emotions So if this is a sign of raw. I am still trying what the new year will to decide how I like be like the movies we this aspect of the play care about then this is a on film because with good sign. Perhaps one the effects of cinemaof the nicest aspects of tography you feel like these movies is the cast you can’t escape the themselves because pain and volatile plot they contain no less Lyle Foster of Fences. It shows than what we have to the ugly underside describe as movie royalty. of life and has just enough of Fences in the acclaimed the bad of life that it tears your story by August Wilson that has humanity. Combine this with been an acclaimed and celebratthe acting chops of Denzel ed play which was on Broadway and academy award “How to with no less than the man himGet away with Murder” Viola self Denzel Washington. It was Davis and you have a recipe just a matter of time before the for perfection. This dynamic play made its way to the big duo makes for a phenomenal screen and Denzel became the combination but the story line man to do that as well as he has

By Lyle Foster Unite Contributing Writer

is just fairly explosive. There are those who are encouraging folks and families to talk about the plot of the movie afterwards.

I am not really gonna comment because it takes something out of it …..because it may remind you of the family dynamics that you grew up with which means something that only you can figure out. For the African-American community there is so much that this film opens up beyond the family father son dynamics to the plight of our community as Universal Pictures 2016 well.

Just a note that the film is very consistent with the play in that the majority of it takes place in the home and backyard.

I sometimes like a bit more

scenery but this is the way the story was told and Lord knows Denzel and Viola tell it. Also in the cast are Russell Hornsby, Mykelti Williamson, Stephen Henderson and Jovan Adepo.

The other film, Hidden Figures is based on a true story of African American women who were involved in the race to space movement. I’m sure many of us didn’t know that there were any folks of color involved in getting man to the moon. Wonder why? This is one of the top reasons that films like this are good for all of us because we become informed of information that was not widely disseminated. It has special continued on page 9

Restaurant Review: The Great American Taco

By Lyle Foster Unite Contributing Writer

The Great American Taco (formerly Springfield Gourmet Taco Company) Most of you know that I am not the biggest Mexican cuisine fan but as I said in this column a few years ago we have to stretch and continually take it to another level.

Plus all of us have overeaten with all of the holiday fixings and we probably now need to

take a break from the heavy and the well seasoned. I was in the deep South for Christmas and all I can say is they take it to a whole nother level so like many of you I need to recuperate now!

So I thought it might be nice to encourage some of you to try or remind those who have been before about a popular eatery on East Battlefield Road the Great American Taco company.

The name was changed when they added another location in Arkansas last year.

The atmosphere is definitely a cool vibe that is friendly and somewhat upscale for a taco place. Service is consistent and staff are generally very friendly and present a sense that we want to help you and hope you have a great experience.

The menu is very extensive and sometimes for me that can be one of the confusing things about a place that offers so many tacos because you may just want more of a basic and there are so many choices and

modifications. But that is exactly one of the reasons that tacos have become so popular and such a mainstay of our cuisine and as we know they can go from very low prices off of a food truck to something a lot more elaborate.

Before we get to the food offerings let me mention the drinks as the bar is very popular there and it is the new year so celebrations are continuing.

I was there for lunch so it was continued on page 9

Springfield, MO—BLI Publishkept doing the same things hoping Company has just released ing for new results. I was lost in the book R.A.W. Emotions, by a world that I was not prepared Springfield resident, Ra-Keish to live in.”

Roland. Ra-Keish N “Poetry is what kept Roland is a native of coming to me, and Kansas City, Kansas one day I started who currently lives in to write what I was Springfield, MO and feeling. The words is studying accountwouldn’t stop forming ing at the University in my mind. I would of Phoenix. find myself dropping Roland says, “For everything I was almost 15 years I ran doing just to write,” Ra-Keish Roland from God, and so many Roland remarks. bad things happened to me. I Roland says her mission is was homeless, on drugs and to help people know that there headed for self-destruction. I is always another option in life

when you allow God to take the lead. “My choice to change my attitude, and the people I associated with was the best decision I ever made. I have been saved, and redeemed to walk in liberty because of Christ. I am sharing my testimony through poetry, and I hope at least one person if not every person can find a word or phrase that will encourage or help them make it through on the road of life,” said Roland.

For booking information, contact Stacey VanLoozen at 417-753-9094 or email at rawemotions78@gmail.com. R.A.W. Emotions is available for sale at

all major retails where books are sold.

Change of service start times at Faith Tabernacle Apostolic Church in 2017 Springfield, MO—There will be exciting changes in 2017 coming to Faith Tabernacle Apostolic Church, 2548 N. Fremont Ave, where the Bishop Jones Foote, is senior pastor.

Beginning February 5th, Sunday services in 2017 will move to the following start

Winter Break

times: • All Christian education classes will begin at 9:00 a.m.

• Morning worship services will begin at 10:00 a.m.

We invite everyone to come and join us at FTAC where everybody is somebody and Jesus is Lord of all.

continued from page 4

noon of educational fun, and entertainment.

Office of Equity and Access will meet you at the Multicultural Festival at Juanita Hammons from 12:00-4:00 pm for an after-

Dates to Remember: First Day Back to School After Winter Break — January 4, 2017

Come lend your voice to our University!

Good News, Great Music & Warm People Deliverance Temple Ministries 2101 W. Chestnut Expwy.

Springfield, MO 65802 (417) 865-4338

Service Times: Sunday 10:30 a.m. & Wednesday 6:00 p.m.

Missouri State University is recruiting diverse faculty and staff for a variety of positions. We are committed to inclusive excellence across campus, and we have a unique public affairs mission that encourages cultural competency, community engagement and ethical leadership.

We believe diversity is good for our students, our community and our University. Our most important job is to give students an enriching education, complete with the tools for career success. Our faculty and staff must be racially, ethnically, culturally and socioeconomically diverse to help our students understand and appreciate different viewpoints, preparing them to lead the future.

We act on our beliefs. Let us welcome you to our campus. Come see for yourself!

Search our vacancies to learn how you can join us.

www.missouristate.edu/careers Employment will require a criminal background check at University expense Missouri State University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Minority/Female/Veterans/Disability employer and institution.

January Unite Page 9

January Unite Page 4

CommunityNews

Movie Column

continued from page 8

Preparing to go Back-To-School after the Winter Break mode and might be just the thing you need. These skills will help cure the “pack your backpack, back to school, post-holFor Springfield Public School iday blues” and make the rest students, January means returnof their school year a ing to school after breeze. winter break. Your Unplug and Get those ZZZs student may be excited It’s easy for kids to to get back to school, get in the habit of staycatch up with all their ing up late. This habits friends and start new can make the first week classes Or it could fill back to school challengthem with anxiety and Gwen Marshall ing, even for the most gloom. You may even motivated student. Before understand their feelings, sending your student back to especially if school wasn’t a posschool cut back on television itive experience for you. and device time and get back to Dawn Christiana, a veteran a reasonable bedtime. elementary teacher, provides Remember Breakfast some helpful advice for getting Healthy, filling breakfasts your student back into study

by Gwen Marshall SPS Office of Equity & Access

We’re always close by.

commercebank.com / 417.869.5411 J17196 OUT Brand Ad Unite 4-15 4.75x5.5.indd 1

3/16/2015 2:21:09 PM

are one of the most important factors in a child’s ability to focus in class. If they arrive at school hungry, they will likely be sluggish and distracted. Try to encourage nutritional breakfast choices. If your student’s breakfast consists of sugary cereal or doughnuts they may experience an energy decline an hour into the day. A nutritious breakfast can be simple and filling, such as oatmeal or toast with peanut butter.

Get Organized Take inventory of your child’s school supplies. Does he need refills on paper or pencils? Is their binder exploding with old papers or the backpack full of junk? Be sure to make sure that your child returns to school with pencils sharpened and notebook organized. Their teacher will thank you!

Read…

Not just with your child but get back into the habit of scanning the notes that come home from school. Take the time each day to check for letters, flyer, permission slips or conference schedules.

Check In You may have had a parent-teacher conference just before the holiday season. If not, take a moment this month to check in with the teacher about your child’s progress, especially if you have concerns. It is still early enough in the year to work on your student's behavior or skills that are keeping them from achieving their full potential. If you are confident, your child is doing well a quick email to check with the teacher to see if there is anything you need

to know or can do at home that will help keep the lines of communication open.

Back to Homework Just like at the start of the year, your child will have to get back into the habit of regular homework. So will you. Decide if what you were doing in the fall was the best schedule for fitting in homework, and reconfigure it if necessary. The more often you can make yourself available to help your child, the better.

Between winter and spring break teachers expect students to make a great deal of progress in learning: which means that each student needs to be ready to get back into their routine quickly and work harder than they did before break. So, on your Mark, Get Set Ready, GO into a product New Year!

Magazine, San Diego Family.

"Prepare Your Child to Go Backto-school After Winter Break."

N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2016.

January is also a time for families to pause and reflect on the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Springfield Public Schools would like to encourage parents and students to spend the day in service to others. We are looking forward to seeing you at the Martin Luther King Jr. March and Celebration on January 16, 2017. Student contest winners of the elementary and high school art contest and the middle school Martin Luther King, Jr. Essay Contest will receive awards for their outstanding work at the Gilloiz Theater following the MLK Parade. After the rally the continued on page 5

significance for me since the setting for the film is Langley Air Force base which is just a few miles from where I grew up.

The time is right before the famous Mercury-Atlas 6 mission in 1962 and is about a math genius named Katherine Johnson who had an important role in calculating flight trajectories for NASA. The other two women profiled in the film also had significant roles one being the first black female engineer and the other leading black women in Universal Pictures 2016 the West Area computers division. The women are played by some easily recognizable women in the person of Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monae.

Their acting ability can bring any story to life and the reality that it really happened simply makes it even more powerful.

The film doesn’t hide from the racial and gender climate of the day and with the lead characters being black and female in a male dominated space race and engineering field one can imagine the day to day challenges that they face. The film gives us a good idea of a few of the things that they faced and the

Restaurant Column continued from page 8

much too early to find out but I have been told by very reliable sources that the margaritas are nice and well worth a try!

small victories they achieved. In some ways each story of victory over discrimination is important but there is a tinge of resentment too as we know too well that 1962 still meets 2017. The chemistry and support between the ladies and the way they encourage each other works very well and in many ways is the glue that holds the film together.

Kevin Costner plays the role of supervisor and as usual plays his part in an inspiring manner.

The film is in limited release on Christmas day and gets to all of the nation right after the new year. I am hoping that seeing these sisters work their magic in mathematics will inspire some young men and women to become engineers and scientists and wildly succeed in technology as well.

The real message of the film might be one for our society still and that is when you are trying to get a man in space you don’t have time and room for prejudice to get in your way.

Hopefully we will learn that about everything else in life as well.

Please try to support these incredible films and let me know what you think!

Fences…..93 out of 100 Hidden Figures 92 out of 100

And consistent with the cuisine there is an abundance of tequila as well so if that is your drink or that is what you want to try in the new year you are now informed. Oh and if you just want to sound like you are get-

ting your drink on they have a margarita iced tea ….shhhhh… it’s non-alcoholic. And yes regular and sweet tea Okay let’s get to the food they do have very clear information for anyone who needs to eat gluten free which is appreciated. Chips and salsa which are excellent by the way are complimentary when you order an entre. I am not a big queso fan but they have several versions of it including a mac and cheese, green chile and plain.

The guacamole (which I am becoming a fan of) is fresh and delicious. The taco choices are abundant and they are good….. whether you want chicken, beef or some type of fish. There is a vegetarian option as well. I like the fish taco and it was stuffed full and very tasty. Of course they do have the soft and hard shell options. Fish choices are also good with tilapia and ahi tuna. You may want to try the

pineapple pico Spanish fried rice…delicious. How’s that for a mouthful? There is a lot on the menu and it will take a few visits to adequately sample and enjoy.

My lunch mate thoroughly enjoyed his food and he is a lot more adventurous than me and gave everything two thumbs up.

Great American Taco makes a great spot for lunch or dinner and also offers a convenient drive-through if you need to grab and go. It can also be a good date night spot and prices can go up close to $10 for some of the menu items but if Santa came to visit you it should not break the bank. And that is one of the other reasons that I am reviewing this spot because if the holidays cleared out your finances it is an affordable option.

It is located at 2915 E. Battlefield Road and is open Sunday through Thursday from 11 to 9 and until 10 on Friday and Saturday. Four forks!!!

January Unite Page 10

January Unite Page 3

IN THIS ISSUE

Health & Mental Fitness 10 Ways Successful People Handle Toxic People The important thing to remember is that you are in control of far more than you realize.

by Travis Bradberry Success Magazine 04/07/16 Toxic people have always been a drag, but research shows they can physically harm your brain. In this article, originally published on LinkedIn Pulse, Dr. Travis Bradberry shows you how to keep your gray matter safe.

Toxic people defy logic.

Some are blissfully unaware of the negative impact that they have on those around them, and others seem to derive satisfaction from creating chaos and pushing other people’s buttons.

Either way, they create unnecessary complexity, strife and, worst of all, stress.

Studies have long shown that stress can have a lasting, negative impact on the brain.

Exposure to even a few days of stress compromises the effectiveness of neurons in the hippocampus—an important brain area responsible for reasoning and memory. Weeks of stress cause reversible damage to neuronal dendrites (the small “arms” that brain cells use to communicate with each other), and months of stress can permanently destroy neurons. Stress is a formidable threat to your success—when stress gets out of control, your brain and your performance suffer.

Most sources of stress at work are easy to identify. If your nonprofit is working to land a grant that your organization

needs to function, you’re bound to feel stress and likely know how to manage it. It's the unexpected sources of stress that take you by surprise and harm you the most.

Recent research from the Department of Biological and Clinical Psychology at Friedrich Schiller University in Germany found that exposure to stimuli that cause strong negative emotions—the same kind of exposure you get when dealing with toxic people—caused subjects’ brains to have a massive stress response. Whether it's negativity, cruelty, the victim syndrome or just plain craziness, toxic people drive your brain into a stressed-out state that should be avoided at all costs.

The ability to manage your emotions and remain calm under pressure has a direct link to your performance.

TalentSmart has conducted research with more than a million people, and we’ve found that 90 percent of top performers are skilled at managing their emotions in times of stress in order to remain calm and in control. One of their greatest gifts is the ability to neutralize toxic people. Top performers have well-honed coping strategies that they employ to keep toxic people at bay.

While I’ve run across numerous effective strategies that successful people employ when dealing with toxic people, what follows are 10 of the best. To

Community News

Brentwood Library Is Renamed, Schweitzer Brentwood Branch Library

by Kathleen O’Dell, Springfield-Greene County Library District

deal with toxic people effectively, you need an approach that enables you, across the board, to control what you can and eliminate what you can’t. The important thing to remember is that you are in control of far more than you realize.

1. They set limits (especially with complainers).

Complainers and negative people are bad news because they wallow in their problems and fail to focus on solutions. They want people to join their pity party so that they can feel better about themselves. People often feel pressure to listen to complainers because they don’t want to be seen as callous or rude, but there’s a fine line between lending a sympathetic ear and getting sucked into their negative emotional spiral.

You can avoid this only by setting limits and distancing yourself when necessary. Think of it this way: If the complainer were smoking, would you sit there all afternoon inhaling the secondhand smoke? You’d distance yourself, and you should do the same with complainers. A great way to set limits is to ask

complainers how they intend to fix the problem. They will either quiet down or redirect the conversation in a productive direction.

2. They don’t die in the fight.

Successful people know how important it is to live to fight another day, especially when your foe is a toxic individual.

In conflict, unchecked emotion makes you dig your heels in and fight the kind of battle that can leave you severely damaged.

When you read and respond to your emotions, you’re able to choose your battles wisely and only stand your ground when the time is right.

3. They rise above.

Toxic people drive you crazy because their behavior is so irrational. Make no mistake about it—their behavior truly goes against reason. So why do you allow yourself to respond to them emotionally and get sucked into the mix?

The more irrational and offbase someone is, the easier it should be for you to remove yourself from their traps. Quit continued on page 11

The renovated and renamed Schweitzer Brentwood Branch Library reopens Saturday, Jan. 7.

Few have been Kathleen O'Dell inside the branch since it closed for a $2.5 million overhaul in April 2016, and the change is remarkable.

Where there once were low ceilings, a cantankerous boiler, a cramped children’s area and slender reading room there is now a bright, open-beam ceiling, an efficient and reliable HVAC system, a larger children’s area and a 1,500-square-foot reading room flooded with natural light.

The branch is also open seven days a week now after adding Sunday hours from 1-5 p.m. Other hours are 8:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 8:30-6 p.m.

Friday-Saturday. Visitors also now have a convenient drive-up service window. continued on page 11

4

Preparing to go Back-To-School after the Winter Break

by Gwen Marshall

6

Business News

8

Lifestyle & Entertainment News

10

Black Female Entrepreneurs Shine on ABC’s ‘Shark Tank’ Movie Review “Fences & Hidden Figures”

by Lyle Foster

UNITE. Volume 27, Number 1 PUBLISHER Unite. of Southwest Missouri, Inc. MANAGING EDITOR Samuel G. Knox CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Lyle Foster Bon Tindle Gwen Marshall Kathleen O'Dell Celine Roberts PHOTOGRAPHY Tondaleigha Jones

Health & Mental Fitness

10 Ways Successful People Handle Toxic People

by Travis Bradberry

GORMAN-SCHARPF FUNERAL HOME, INC

The Quality And Care That You Expect In 242 Years Of Combined Experience W. Bruce Howell Robert J. Lohmeyer Don R. Lohmeyer Heather K. Howell Angela N. Collins Harley R. Williams 886-9996 Clint W. Mease Russ Allen

(417) 886-9994 • Fax: (417) 1947 E. Seminole Springfield, Missouri 65804

City Employment Link The City of Springfield offers a variety of municipal career opportunities for individuals interested in public service.

Job opportunities are updated each Friday and can be accessed through a number of mediums: Web: http://www.springfieldmo.gov/jobs; or TV: CityView on Mediacom Cable Digital Channel 80; or In Person: visiting our offices at 840 Boonville, Room 324, Springfield, MO 65802.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with disability. Individuals with disabilities should request reasonable accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act prior to testing or appointment. Proof of United States Citizenship/Authorization to Work in The United States as established by the Immigration Reform Act of 1986 is a condition of employment. Pre-employment drug testing required.

VOLUNTEERS Tyra Knox

The Unite. publication is a monthly newspaper published by Unite of Southwest Missouri, Inc. a 501(c)(3) non-profit community organization.

Distribution of Unite. is by free circulation at various locations.

However, request for home delivery by mail may be directed to Unite.

P. O. Box 1745, Springfield, Missouri 65801 and accompanied by $25. for one year’s postage and handling.

Those wishing to make a contribution or become a monthly sponsor should direct correspondence to the same address.

Readers comments and questions are welcomed. The opinions expressed in these pages do not necessarily reflect the views of Unite. of Southwest Missouri, Inc. “The Unite Publication in accepting advertising in this publication, makes no independent investigation concerning the services of products advertised and neither endorses nor recommends the same and assumes no liability therefore.”

For further information, you can contact us at (417) 864-7444.

Email: unitepublication@yahoo. com

January Unite Page 11

January Unite Page 2

MLK March

Festival

Theatre. The program will begin at the Gillioz once the marchers arrive. This year the NAACP is collecting hats, gloves, scarves, and socks for youth in our Springfield community, collection bins will be available at the ice park and the Gillioz Theatre.

Doors will open at the ice park and the Gillioz at 8:00 a.m.

This year's sponsors are Central Bank, Springfield Public Schools, Drury University, First Unitarian Universalist Church, and Matthew 25 Project.

Every year, local performers representing cultures from around the world gather on stage at Juanita K. Hammons Hall along with KY3, news anchor Emily Wood to explore a world of cultural entertainment.

You will see traditional favorites like, the Celtic Fire Irish Dance Company, Springfield Little Theater Youth Group, the MSU Traditional Chinese Dance Club and other performing groups.

In the foyer at the hall, we will have about fifty exhibiting

continued from page 1

continued from page 1

Springfield Black History Moment Springfield, MO— It was October 27, 1954 when Etta Moten, famed singer and actress, was refused service in a small diner on the east edge of the campus of what is now Missouri State University. Ms. Moten had come to the campus to speak to the students from her home in Chicago. Her refusal by the Varsity Café to serve her set off a storm of protests and call for a boycott of the café. When interviewed for the local paper the owners were unflinching in their position while the College Inn, a café located on the other side of campus, said they served everyone and had no problems. Much has changed while much has stayed the same in the sixty-two years since this occurred.

— John Sellars, Springfield History Museum

organizations who will be sharing information about education and employment opportunities, healthcare, financial services and other important community resources.

Admission is free and the event is open to everyone.

Working Together continued from page 1

joint program effort.

The churches will identify and sign up recipients, as well as provide volunteers who will help with distribution on the day of the monthly food giveaway.

Because families typically have a tougher time towards the end of the month, the distribution dates will be in the third or fourth week of the month, with the first one scheduled for Thursday, January 26, 2017. The designated location partner will be Deliverance Temple Ministries, 2101 W. Chestnut Expressway.

If you are a member or are otherwise connected to one of the following congregations, you are encouraged to find out more from your pastor or community outreach minister.

Current participating congregations include:

• Acts of Praise Whole Life Ministries, 937 E. Dale; • Deliverance Temple Ministries, 2101 W. Chestnut Expressway; • Faith Tabernacle Apostolic Church, 2548 N. Fremont Avenue; • Gibson Chapel, 536 E. Tampa; • God's House of Glory, 826 S. Golden • New Growth Ministries, 1351 N. Marion Avenue • New Hope International Ministries, 901 N. Prospect Avenue; • Powered by Christ Ministries, 2722 W. Mt. Vernon; • Refuge of God, 518 E. Atlantic Street; • Sanctuary of Praise C.O.G.I.C., 5420 MO-H (North Glenstone); • Turning Point Church, 1722 N. National Ave.

School & Community continued from page 1

working together to support them.

January's session will focus on Making Healthy Choices in 2017. Along with health screenings, participants will explore how the power of small choices in diet, wellness, and exercise can improve their health. Each session includes an activity bag with items that correspond to the monthly theme as well as raffles throughout the day.

For additional information contact Marty Moore at mamoore@spsmail.org

See How CU Can

Work With You Plumbers, caterers, landscapers, exterminators, and more are all needed to help City Utilities of Springfield operate on a day-to-day basis. If you offer a good or a service, CU has opportunities. Call 417-831-8363 or visit cityutilities.net, key search “Purchasing”, to learn about ways for us to work together.

Photo: Photo: Left is Moten in the campus student union.

Provided by

It is the policy of City Utilities to offer equal opportunity to individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, ancestry, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, or marital status.

History Museum On The Square

Open Monday ~ Saturday from 10:30 am to 4:30 pm Adults $5 ~ Children $3 ~ Museum Members Free In our historic Fox Theatre at 157 Park Central Square, Springfield MO

301 East Central, Springfield • 417.863.9000

cityutilities.net

Library Events

Handling Toxic People

Drive-up window hours are 7:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday-Saturday; and noon-5 p.m. on Sunday.

There’s more parking. The Reading Room tables and a cyber bar have built-in power jacks and USB ports for your portable devices. Media lovers now have a dedicated space to browse CDs, DVDs and audiobooks.

The drive-through lane on the building’s east side also includes a built-in book drop that sends your returned materials to an automated sorting system, checks in your materials 24/7 and instantly posts returns to your account.

And don’t forget a hot drink at Coffee Between Friends!

••• On Saturday, Feb. 4, everyone is invited to the Meet and Greet Celebration: Show & Tell Mixer, Connecting Millennial Youth and Family in a Title 1 Community. The event is from 1-2:30 p.m. in the Midtown Carnegie Branch upstairs meeting room.

Moderator Christine Peoples presents 1 Word: Service; 4 Speakers & You. Theater director Jon Herbert, motivational speaker Rod Smith, school bus driver Mandie Williams and Regional Business Service representative Cynthia Collins will share their perspective on the word “Service” before everyone joins the conversation. Refreshments will be served.

The celebration continues on Saturday, February 18, from 1-2:30 p.m. in the upstairs meeting room with the documentary “Can You Dig This,” for adults.

Call: (417) 862-0135.

trying to beat them at their own game. Distance yourself from them emotionally and approach your interactions like they’re a science project (or you’re their shrink, if you prefer the analogy). You don’t need to respond to the emotional chaos—only the facts.

continued from page 3

continued from page 10

4. They stay aware of their emotions.

Maintaining an emotional distance requires awareness. You can’t stop someone from pushing your buttons if you don’t recognize when it’s happening.

Sometimes you’ll find yourself in situations where you’ll need to regroup and choose the best way forward. This is fine and you shouldn’t be afraid to buy yourself some time to do so.

Think of it this way: If a mentally unstable person approaches you on the street and tells you he’s John F. Kennedy, you’re unlikely to set him straight.

When you find yourself with a co-worker who is engaged in similarly derailed thinking, sometimes it’s best to just smile and nod. If you’re going to have to straighten them out, it’s better to give yourself some time to plan the best way to go about it.

5. They establish boundaries.

This is the area where most people tend to sell themselves short. They feel like because they work or live with someone, they have no way to control the chaos. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Once you’ve found your way to rise above a person, you’ll begin to find their behavior more predictable and easier to understand. This will equip you to think rationally about when and where you have

to put up with them and when you don’t. For example, even if you work with someone closely on a project team, that doesn’t mean that you need to have the same level of one-on-one interaction with them that you have with other team members.

You can establish a boundary, but you’ll have to do so consciously and proactively. If you let things happen naturally, you are bound to find yourself constantly embroiled in difficult conversations.

6. They won’t let anyone limit their joy.

When your sense of pleasure and satisfaction are derived from the opinions of other people, you are no longer the master of your own happiness. When emotionally intelligent people feel good about something that they’ve done, they won’t let anyone’s opinions or snide remarks take that away from them.

While it’s impossible to turn off your reactions to what others think of you, you don’t have to compare yourself to others, and you can always take people’s opinions with a grain of salt.

7. They don't focus on problems— only solutions.

Where you focus your attention determines your emotional state.

When you fixate on the problems you’re facing, you create and prolong negative emotions and stress. When you focus on actions to better yourself and your circumstances, you create a sense of personal efficacy that produces positive emotions and reduces stress.

When it comes to toxic people, fixating on how crazy and difficult they are gives them power over you. Quit thinking about how troubling your difficult person is, and focus instead

on how you're going to go about handling them. This makes you more effective by putting you in control, and it will reduce the amount of stress you experience when interacting with them.

8. They don’t forget.

Emotionally intelligent people are quick to forgive, but that doesn’t mean that they forget.

Forgiveness requires letting go of what’s happened so that you can move on. It doesn’t mean you’ll give a wrongdoer another chance. Successful people are unwilling to be bogged down unnecessarily by others’ mistakes, so they let them go continued on page 12

Affordable Housing Opportunities There are currently housing vacancies in the City of Springfield’s program for rental or home ownership. These programs include requirements for fair marketing and non-discrimination.

You must be income eligible to qualify.

For rental, call Marti Fewell, 417-864-1039 For home ownership, call LeeAnn Camey, 417-888-2020

January Unite Page 12

Handling Toxic People

Renée Stout American (b. 1958) A Vision I Can't Forget Lithograph, 1999 Museum Acquisition Fund SAM 2009.7

continued from page 11

Renée Stout works in a wide variety of media from photography to printmaking, from collage to painting. But the commonality throughout all of her practice is an interest and desire in self discovery and self empowerment as a way to understand the broader human condition. Her work is narrative-driven and often features alter egos through which a variety of actions take place.

In this self-portrait, Stout places herself amidst a range of symbols and objects that represent Kongolese culture and beliefs. The nkisi figure on the left is said to hold spiritually charged materials while the numeric patterns relate to numerology (the belief that numbers have meaning and power). Stout is also interested in Voodoo, an often misunderstood religious practice; the mask shown here is used in the practice of Voodoo.

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quickly and are assertive in protecting themselves from future harm.

9. They squash negative self-talk.

Sometimes you absorb the negativity of other people. There’s nothing wrong with feeling bad about how someone is treating you, but your self-talk (the thoughts you have about your feelings) can either intensify the negativity or help you move past it. Negative self-talk is unrealistic, unnecessary and self-defeating. It sends you into a downward emotional spiral that is difficult to pull out of.

You should avoid negative selftalk at all costs.

10. They limit their caffeine intake.

Drinking caffeine triggers the release of adrenaline.

Adrenaline is the source of the “fight-or-flight” response, a survival mechanism that forces you to stand up and fight or run for the hills when faced with a threat. The fight-or-flight mechanism sidesteps rational thinking in favor of a faster response. This is great when a bear is chasing you, but not so great when you’re surprised in the hallway by an angry co-worker.

Before you get this system to work brilliantly, you’re going to have to pass some tests.

Implementing these healthy, stress-relieving techniques for dealing with difficult people will train your brain to handle stress more effectively and decrease the likelihood of ill effects.

January 2017 Volume 27/ Number 1 • A Monthly Publication by Unite of Southwest Missouri, Inc •

www.unitenewsonline.org

UNITE.

Celebrate MLK Day, Jan 16th Dr Martin L. King, Jr.

Building Empowering Connections In Our Diverse Community

Annual Springfield MLK March & Celebration Event The Springfield NAACP will hold their annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. March & Celebration Monday, January 16, 2017.

The march will begin at 9:00am at the Mediacom Ice Park and end at the Gillioz Continued on page 2

SGF Multicultural Festival, Jan 16th Unite of Southwest Missouri, presents the 20th Annual Springfield Multicultural Festival. The event will be held January 16, 2017 at Juanita K. Hammons Hall, 525 John Q. Hammons Pkwy., 12:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m.

Continued on page 2

Roland signs book contract with BLI BLI Publishing Company has just released the book R.A.W. Emotions.

Ra-Keish Roland Continued on page 5

Nonprofits and Churches Working Together

by Mark A. Dixon, Guest Contributing Writer

It’s no secret that both nonprofit community organizations and churches are in the business of helping people, but sometimes more can be done by working together than individually. So when the Springfield Community Center approached the Bartley-Decatur Neighborhood Center, Springfield NAACP and Deliverance Temple Ministries with an idea for a mobile food pantry (MFP) that would focus on helping to address unmet food security needs for individuals and families in our community, they all

Ozarks Food Harvest Mobile Food Pantry Truck

jumped at the opportunity.

Working with Ozarks Food Harvest and the generous support of the Musgrave Foundation, these partners invited African American congregations in Springfield to a brunch meeting to discuss the MFP. About a dozen churches sent represen-

tatives (including a number of senior pastors) to the meeting and all of them were excited to participate! In fact, it was exciting for everyone involved to see the legacy of black community support energized by this Continued on page 2

Springfield Schools Partners with Community

by Marty Moore, Guest Contributing Writer

Bartley-Decatur Neighborhood Center, MSU CSD (DepartOur Voice-Our Choice ment of Communication SciencCommunity session es and Disorders), MSU Another phase of CLSU (Department of collective impact work Counseling, Leadership, across our community and Special Education) , kicks off on January NAACP, and Springfield 21, 2017 with the first Public Schools. of monthly Our Voice Each session will - Our Choice Commuoffer breakfast, a comMarty Moore nity sessions. The munity keynote, two sessions begin at 8:00 a.m. sessions for adult attendees, at Deliverance Temple and literacy and STEAM (science, are jointly organized by technology, engineering, arts,

and math) sessions for students (K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12), childcare for pre-K, and a boxed lunch.

Our hope is to bring people together around topics of interest and common purpose and strengthen the relationships among all those supporting students since learning doesn't just happen from 8-3 on school days. We hope that students will see parents, the schools, our churches, and businesses Continued on page 2